Kaunas regional prosecutors have sent to court a case against two individuals accused of smuggling and illegal possession of excise goods as part of an organised group, the Prosecutor General’s Office said on Tuesday.
The defendants, identified by their initials L.K. and E.N., and their accomplices in Lithuania and Belarus, intercepted cigarettes flown across the border from Belarus using smuggler balloons between May and November 2025.
A total of at least 9,000 packs of Belarusian cigarettes, including brands such as Minsk 5 Super Slims, Minsk Capital QS, and NZ Gold, were seized during this period. The total value of the contraband is estimated at approximately 45,000 euros.
The investigation found that the organised group systematically used smuggler balloons, GPS equipment and mobile communication devices to transport the contraband across the border.
The accused were allegedly responsible for intercepting, hiding and transferring the cigarettes to other group members, as well as collecting the equipment used for the criminal activity.
Under the Lithuanian Criminal Code, these offences carry a penalty of a fine or imprisonment for up to six years.
The case has been transferred to the Druskininkai chamber of the Alytus District Court.
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